How a Wine Pro Selects Wine

Take a tip from a pro: “Location, Location, Location” is the secret to finding the best bottle of wine for your budget.

Throughout my 30+ years in the wine distribution industry, I have found labels that tie wines as closely as possible to their grape source to be the best indicator of quality vs. price. This closely parallels the concepts of farm-to-table sourcing of foods as a measure of quality.

You will often see unfamiliar wineries on wine lists. Fear not! These small production boutique wineries represent some of the best examples of their varietals.

Having tasted wine from countries, regions, appellations, sub-appellations, estates and vineyards across the globe, I follow these very same guidelines myself when selecting a bottle.

And while you’re searching for that Goldilocks bottle to match your entree selection, think about beginning your dining event with a bottle of sparkling wine or Champagne. Bubbles pair with everything!

I believe that there’s a taste of time, place and passion in every bottle. Welcome to this timeless journey!
— Dale Blankenship
Founder, ProWineGuide.com and Umami.Life